JONATHAN KUIPER
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Off the Beaten Path in Kraków: Running the Vistula River Trails

3/11/2026

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Forever Poland a memoir by Jonathan Kuiper book cover shows a collage of various photos from PolandWorking cover for my latest book
Here’s something new to share and a bit unexpected. I have two more chapters left in my Forever Poland book. Originally started at the end of last April, I wrote the first 50,000 words before taking a break in the summer to focus on summer camp, of all things. Fast forward to writing the follow-up to Rusty Star, which, by the way, is free if you are looking for a mystery book, and since the beginning of February, I have been busy typing away at the remaining chapters of Forever Poland. 

True to every book I write, the writing process has been different, but for the most part, I have written at least 1500 words a day for the last six weeks. For that matter, the fewest words in one evening were 1000, and that was this past Friday, because of the ridiculous drumming outside the apartment building to mark another night of feasting here in Tangier. Don’t worry, I’ll blog about that sensation and the jerk who decided to almost hit me while crossing the sidewalk the other day. Maybe I’ll also add the story about the van I stared down and pointed with my umbrella when he decided he wanted to cut around a parent picking up their child. Oh yes, it’s Ramadan here in Morocco, and people are doing fabulous with their fasting and clearly looking out for the betterment of others.

Again, we’ll break down that fun at a later date. To celebrate the fact that I’m almost done with Forever Poland, here’s an excerpt from my latest chapter. Do enjoy, and I’ll be in touch soon.


Excerpt from Forever Poland 


Author Jonathan Kuiper in Krakow in front of a derelict buildingKrakow's Most Beautiful House
Shifting all the way back to August, I set out on several early morning runs to explore the city and get a feel for any area that might be worth a trip when the sun was actually out. Sure, many of my future haunts were in the direction of Dębniki or Błonia, but the Vistula River goes in the other direction as well. For one run, I wanted to see what was past Galeria Kazimierz, as it was clear the running and biking path went on for a bit, but to what end? 

Cruising along Bulwar Kurlandzki, I was immediately taken by the water, the trees, and, for that matter, the grass and fields. There were intermittent benches and places to pause for reflection. Without much effort, it felt like I was already in a quieter spot of the city. What I didn’t notice initially was that this new running route was a mixed-use area. The cycling and walking paths were separated, which was a plus, until they weren’t again, and that was a chore depending on who decided to stop and take random photos. Then again, it was a very scenic wooded route and even served as a cross-country trail whenever snow decided to blanket the area.

If I could complain for a bit about how many times the route was blocked by some idiot on their cell phone with their bike in the middle of the trail, we would be here for a while. Yes, that strikes a nerve, but not anywhere as much as the dog walkers who seemed oblivious to the fact that this is a shared trail. I’ll admit, I should have carried dog bones with me, but then again, why the locals walk their dogs on sixty-foot leashes remains one of Poland’s mysteries to me.

On not one, but multiple runs in this area, I made it a point to be out before five, simply because I wanted it all for myself. It appears I wasn’t the only one, because this old timer and his German Shepherd with a Hannibal Lector muzzle were always out at the same blasted time and on the same stretch closest to the river.

I tried to avoid them by leaving a few minutes earlier and later, but this section of bliss was too long, and the universe clearly wanted us to have frequent interactions or for me to give up and find a different loop. I’m not kidding. 

Our first introduction happened when it was still dark. I didn’t even know there was anyone on the trail, but as I came down off the incline into the meadow, I could make out a figure, most likely a walker. There was no doubt, but other than that, my angle was off, because I could barely make out a bench, and this figure was coming towards me. 

What do I know, but this guy’s massive dog was taking his jolly old time, likely just rolling around in the grass, waiting for the right moment to pounce and drive me into the waters of the Vistula. Things didn’t play out that way because, in this case, this Shepherd must have been dozing, and who knows what the old man was doing, but I startled them both. 

I jumped when the dog yelped. I might have even screamed like a little girl, and having Rin Tin Tin on such a long rope was ridiculous. The leash was for show because I knew if the dog bolted, he was either going to rip the old man’s arm off or take it with him. 

I watched the beast make his gesture towards me, clearly ready to taste an American teacher, but the guy made a simple nudge, and the attack was held off. Did he still growl at me? Did I come to a full stop and put out my hand, hoping for the best? Absolutely, but it was nerve-wracking, especially since I could barely make them out. 

We met up three to four more times because I decided I couldn’t handle the potential one time this animal broke loose. Muzzle or not, he was going to kick my ass, and I wasn’t ready for that to happen. What I wanted instead, after yet another showdown with more snarling, and the old man oblivious to “good morning,” was a means to continue my run along the river, but with less stress. I certainly didn’t want to run on the cyclist path and deal with those maniacs. 

That’s when I spotted what looked like a derelict barge on the other side of the river, and I wondered what route I needed to take in order to explore that area. As the sun rose in the east, I spotted a runner. Most certainly, I knew they could have done a huge loop, turned at the church in the woods, and then cut down. However, they managed to find that spot. I was committed to leaving this future crime scene behind and, funnily enough, traveling to a different one. 

I’m not sure if it was in late September or  October, but I know it was well before my travels took over what felt like every weekend, where I sought out this very spot. Of course, I went out in the middle of the day on a Sunday. Let me share: if the goal is to avoid people, don’t go out in Kraków on Sunday, especially not on a nice, sunny one. No one stays home. 

Granted, I get it. Once November shows up and the sun decides to disappear for three to four months, one has to take what they get. Then again, for every local who told me, “Just wait, the summer is beautiful here,” it seemed they had missed the fact that every season has its advantages. For an introvert, bring on the clouds and mixed precipitation, because unlike a sunny Sunday, families come up with alternatives to their long walks through the city and to any patch of grass along the river. 

Note, I’m not complaining here, but pointing out that this is the reality of life in Kraków. So on this magical Sunday when the temperatures shot up to a balmy seventy degrees, I wasn’t alone even when I hoped to be. Trust me, I went on a roundabout loop to get to this barge with a good exploration of the area after I spotted the familiar tour buggies and the troop of people gawking and waiting for their chance to get into Schindler’s Factory. Everyone is playing tourist on Sunday, and those who aren’t are probably young families out for a walk and some ice cream.

I remember cutting along Jana Dekerta, passing the athletic field where a kid’s soccer match was underway, and thinking to myself, "This explains the random ghosts on various buildings in town." Others are trying to scare people from visiting. 

Zabłocie wasn’t overwhelmed with families, but more like the university students who were now only waking up and trying to figure out what they were going to eat, before swarming the river’s edge. Still, it was bearable, and I was committed to getting to this barge. Next, I was walking past Park Stacja Wisła, which is actually quite lovely and an easy jump over to Bulwar Lotników Alianckich, where the creepy vibes begin.

In the early morning hours, this entire stretch is sketchy. It’s not from the dog walkers either, but just the energy between the fact that the paved area looks like a place you would find people taking their car to drop trash or a body. It’s one or the other. 

The running trail directly above feels off to me, too. I’m not talking about the unevenness of it all. Then again, if you want to run underneath a bridge and get that whole hitting your head vibe, or check out the latest graffiti, this might be your best chance to do just that in this area. Granted, it could also just be that I know in the opposite direction; this path got swallowed up by the construction. It could be better now with the railroad bridge finished, and yet, even on my last visit, as I walked this familiar route, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

I just can’t figure out whether the boat landing is actually in use or is a stand-in for some nefarious activity. Not even out for a run but walking this route, I have yet to see a boat tie up and pick up any passengers, even though there is a glut of watercraft farther down the river, in direct proximity to Wawel Castle. Why the dock and the mooring bollards?

A little farther down is where the real fun begins, honestly. One would need to be blind not to see the wanna be crack house on the river’s edge with the boats rusting away in its not-so-well-manicured yard.  I never took the time to learn whether this building, or what was left of it, was the headquarters for the old shipping fleet, or whatever owned and managed these barges and boats that had seen far better days. 

I wanted to check out the boat, the same one I spotted across the river, but first I had to deal with the fact that this boarded-up house and a half-ass fence kept me from accomplishing my goal. Hearing several voices and noticing through the fence that at least two people were exploring the same area, I cut through the grass and towards the river’s edge. It seemed the least suspect way of entering this fray, not to mention the closer I got to the house, I was one hundred percent sure some squatter or squatters on a drug binge were going to be racing out the one open window or door where the boards were half removed or cast aside entirely. 

Maybe someone was living there, or maybe people were using it as a drug den. I didn’t dare go inside, knowing that my luck would run out faster than me removing the muzzle from that Shepherd. No, it made more sense to trek through the rusted remains of a boat graveyard wearing nothing but a t-shirt and shorts, seeing if my Tetantus shot was up to date.  

The two other explorers were already on the old boat by the time I found a clear route into the back area. As I watched them climb around that corroded bucket and make their way to the wheel of the ship, I had no interest in joining them. I was already likely trespassing, just like these two men, and didn’t see how joining them and pretending we were buddies on a fishing trip would improve my situation. 

No, it was far easier to cut across the yard to the second boat, a far more decayed structure with some serious oxidation issues, but easier to climb onto and enjoy the view of the river. My plan seemed good until I spotted a man and a woman beating me to it. Thinking they would be quick and then return to their walk, I looked at the rear of the boat, already spraypainted to the nines, and kept meandering towards the water to make it appear that I wasn’t hoping to join in on the fun. 

In true, this can only happen to me, fashion, I looked out across the river, probably a hundred feet from that rust bucket, and marveled at the crowds of people lining the beach and the very route where the Shepherd roamed. Delighted that I was correct in my assessment, aside from the crackhouse, this seemed to be a far superior spot. Then again, the animal sounds coming from the boat told me that three was a crowd. The fact that I caught a glimpse of the blonde woman’s head disappearing beneath the rails made me wonder. Where her partner went, I didn’t stay long enough to figure out, but I did look back long enough to see what remained of that cabin shaking. Hopefully, they were both up to date on their shots.

As for my new spot that also served as a lover’s nest, I can share that it was the only time I saw or heard any of that funky stuff going on. When the winter weather came, all that remained was the sketchy house and the bones of each boat. Call it a sunny Sunday that caused the riffraff or bored locals to come out to play, but on future visits, the place was all mine. 
​

Last time I checked, I believe the building has been razed, but the boats remain, a reminder of the city’s glorious past on one of Poland’s great rivers. Then again, for me, it was simply a more unusual, yet quieter, off-the-beaten-path location to enjoy, that didn’t entail me walking toward Wawel Castle, taking the balloon ride, or seeing which dogs were going to have their way with me across the river…..

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Double Cross Is Out Today

2/10/2026

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Double Cross - A Stokes Case novel book cover shows Russell Stokes on the case in the middle of a snowstorm
Here’s some exciting news to share — the follow-up to Rusty Star is ready for your eyes.

​Double Cross is out now. Check out the description below and grab your copy. The book is available in ebook and paperback formats.

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Rusty Star is currently $0.99 for the next few weeks.

Enjoy both books, and as always, I’d love to hear what you think.


Three ghosts. Two murders. One man running out of second chances.


Haunted by the death of the woman he loved, former Navy investigator Russell Stokes is barely holding it together when an old service friend drags him into the cold. Tommy Delaney is wanted for a brutal double murder in northern New Hampshire—and he insists he’s innocent.

Heading north, Stokes finds more than he bargained for: a town that guards its secrets, a trail of blood, and a plea from his former mentor, Rear Admiral Radner, to find Grace—the missing daughter of Stokes’s estranged former commanding officer, whose actions forced him to resign his commission.

As the murders and Grace’s disappearance twist together, Stokes is forced to confront loyalty, guilt, and corruption in ways he never imagined. Every choice tests his conscience, every lead reveals a betrayal, and every step brings him closer to the truth—and to the ghosts he can’t outrun.

Double Cross: A Stokes Case Novel is a gripping, fast-paced New England thriller of loss, redemption, and the thin line between justice and obsession.

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Behind the Scenes: Double Cross-A Russell Stokes Case Gets Its Official Description

11/16/2025

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With my escape to England now complete, it only makes sense to share a proper description for my new Russell Stokes book. Let's be clear now, this description is simply a preview for the upcoming book that will be out in spring 2026.  I still have to send it off to my copy editor before I can schedule the actual release date.

The greater question is does this book interest you? Have you read the first book in the series, because if you haven't that's where we first meet Russell and see the events that immediately lead to Double Cross. I know I'm tooting my own horn, but it's honestly worth a look. As for the new book, I think it's the best one I've written out of the twenty one books composed over the years.
Picture

Double Cross: A Stokes Case #2
Three ghosts. Two murders. One man running out of second chances.



Haunted by the death of the woman he loved, former Navy investigator Russell Stokes is barely holding it together when an old service friend drags him into the cold. Tommy Delaney is wanted for a brutal double murder in northern New Hampshire—and he insists he’s innocent.

​Heading north, Stokes finds more than he bargained for: a town that guards its secrets, a trail of blood, and a plea from his former mentor, Rear Admiral Radner, to find Grace—the missing daughter of Stokes’s estranged former commanding officer, whose actions forced him to resign his commission.

As the murders and Grace’s disappearance twist together, Stokes is forced to confront loyalty, guilt, and corruption in ways he never imagined. Every choice tests his conscience, every lead reveals a betrayal, and every step brings him closer to the truth—and to the ghosts he can’t outrun.

Double Cross: A Russell Stokes Case is a gripping, fast-paced New England thriller of loss, redemption, and the thin line between justice and obsession.
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Finishing “Double Cross”: Writing Through Chaos in Tangier

11/6/2025

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Tangier Bay with water view of Spain and Gibraltar.Early morning in Tangier as I started the last chapter in Double Cross.
An amazing thing happened today; relatively speaking, I finished Double Cross, the second book in my Russell Stokes series, A Stokes Case Novel. That’s right, time for a good old pat on the back while I hear the saws in the distance, hammering, and whatever else this blasted city of Tangier feels the need to throw at me during this writing escapade.

Trust me, it was one. I started back in mid-September, intending to be done one way or another by November 6. This might seem like an arbitrary date, but I also occasionally play a travel vlogger, and frankly, I didn’t want to balance both when my fall and winter travels started. It’s one thing to work on a memoir like Forever Poland, as it’s a different type of writing, but fiction and travel vlogging are on different ends of my creative spectrum. The headspace it takes to deal with Russell and his life doesn’t translate at all to walking around city streets, exploring parks, churches, and cemeteries. I wish it did, but I need proper recovery after being in Russell’s world. 

Speaking of his world, the final numbers for Double Cross are 107,856 words for draft number one. We might lose a few thousand words once the edits are complete, or then again, we might gain a few. Every book I write is unique in that phase of the writing process. All told, though, this is my third-longest book written and the longest in ten years. Yes, ten years or is it eleven when I wrote Swimming with Angels and Going Home?

Initially, I thought I might finish Russell’s second story up last weekend, but after a pivotal scene, the final act of the book took longer than expected. It wasn’t from a lack of trying to tie things up, just sometimes the characters lead you in different directions, and you have to stay aligned with the story that is being told. 

In true Tangier, Morocco fashion this last week has been anything but easy. I had comments due for end-of-quarter grades, which again taps a different mindset, and the city itself wanted to rear its noisiest, most unruly self in months, by giving me three straight days of music outside my apartment window. I could have managed with a jazzy ambiance, but the bloody drummers and screeching singer straight from my wedding hell story in Asilah showed up again. This time, we had the echo effect in full force, with fireworks for added flair, and two hours of performing, followed by a one-hour DJ interlude, a few stories below my apartment window.

The glorified Thai Wok restaurant, which also poses as a pizza and shwarma destination, deemed it necessary to crank the bass after this show, forcing me to retreat to my back bedroom, close the doors and windows for a bit of sanity, all while I rushed to complete more of the story. I might have laughed it off, but the owners of the apartments above and below mine decided this was also the weekend and early week time to start their annual renovations. 

You try writing anything with intermittent hammering echoing through your writing cave. It’s not easy, and frankly, it's more draining than crafting the story itself. For whatever reason, any construction has to take place on Saturday from morning into the evening. There was no reprieve. And if it’s a holiday, don’t worry, there seems to be even more noise and construction to contend with. 

Even now, as I compose this piece, the bastard hammering away, on a Moroccan holiday no less, could give two hoots at the creative juices I’ve attempted to spew and share. 
Sunday was more of the same, but this time we replaced the wedding horror music with dance music that had no business being played at any time of day, let alone an outside venue. I practically prayed for more hammering to mask the sounds, but alas, the construction detail only showed for the morning hours before the restaurant had even opened. 

Fast forward to the last three days, and my internet connection has been spotty at best. Currently, it’s not even connecting because Orange has decided to perform maintenance again, just as they did in June, when I didn’t have working service for three weeks. If my memory serves, they claimed it was from the Spanish power outage, but news flash: is Morocco part of the same power grid, or do we just want to blame vacation time and shoddy service? I lean towards the service side of things, especially since the credit they gave me was never actually applied, and they simply collected payment as though nothing had happened. 

I would wave to the Orange sales center directly across the street to expedite things. Still, if it’s anything like June, the unhelpful sales clerk will direct me to call customer service, which refuses to put English speakers on the line because it hurts their customer service ratings. No joke. I wonder if they are up and running or if it’s just my building suffering through the dark void of no internet. 

That put a hiccup on looking up things to finish the novel, but again, we persevered. To celebrate this monumental accomplishment, it’s time for a proper rest, and I’ll get back to it early next week. In the meantime, if you haven’t checked out Rusty Star, the first book in this series, it’s out and waiting for your eyes only. Double Cross will join the fray in the spring. 

Till next update, have a good one.



Drumming that I tried to write through
(True to form, the internet connection delayed this posting. We don’t want things to be to easy, do we?)

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Mean People Suck: What a Decade of Writing (and Living) Has Taught Me About Toxicity

10/29/2025

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Symbolic photograph of weight on people during the holidays as shown with a ton of snow on the back porch.The weight of the world for many of us during the upcoming winter season.
Dare I say these words in the first sentence of today’s blog ― you know those words ― mean people suck. Maybe something more substantial is needed. Let’s not just say all people, like I’m classifying every single person in the world. No, I’ll be more specific this morning and focus solely on my fellow Americans, especially the Karens and all those entitled schmucks who think their opinion is the only one that matters. 

Granted, I will admit it’s a tough lead to start with, especially as I’m writing this with the intention that says my opinion is more valid and important than these sorry individuals. But then again, you’ve come to this forum for Jonathan Kuiper, so here’s an opinion you might want and a perspective that could be helpful in the days ahead. Especially, with the holidays fast approaching, tensions are stoked everywhere, and people continue to lose patience with one another. Everyone has an opinion, so you decide if it’s worth the money you paid for it. 
​

Did you see that joke I made? That’s taken right from Dave Ramsey’s mouth and his radio show. I got to give credit to the source on that one. I digress . . .


When Everyone Has an Opinion (and None of Them Are Kind)


Let’s dive into the topic at hand and what’s got me thinking this morning about people, toxicity, and how it emanates everywhere. 

Here in Morocco, it’s a different beast altogether, simply because I don’t understand the language or culture enough to state whether it exists at all. I imagine it does, but still, I work at an international school, so I’m around kids, adults, and the entire educational dynamic that is a microcosm for the same issues we will be diving into. Not wanting to focus on work for a moment, because who cares about that, let’s talk about My Shenandoah Love instead.

I wrote this new adult romance in the summer of 2014. I remember it well because it was right after I grinded away at Going Home. The story was a perfect reprieve and counterbalance to Vincent and Christian, and their final story together as lead characters. For two weeks, I was consumed with Hannah’s story. 

Quick side note. I had just moved from my writing retreat for the summer, a studio apartment in Newmarket, New Hampshire, to an in-law loft studio in bucolic Gilmanton, New Hampshire. Surrounded by lakes, trees, and peace of mind, this was my stomping ground for the upcoming school year. I might have been there a day or two, waiting for my furniture to arrive, when I drove over to Johnson’s Dairy Bar in New Durham, where this beautiful woman with long, flowing, strawberry blonde hair captivated my attention. 

To this day, I have no clue how old she was, but I’m confident she was late teens or even twenty, a college student working her summer gig before returning to school in the fall. I remember getting my ice cream from this girl and then retreating to a picnic table to savor every lick and bite. By the time I was done with my dessert and driving home, Hannah Jones had been created.

Knowing that I needed some conflict and a proper love triangle to be set up, I brainstormed salacious ideas. Why not make one conflict where Hannah and her mother were interested in the same married man? I know, scandalous, right? It gets better, let’s throw a minister into the mix who can’t keep his Johnson under control (see that another joke) while he’s with one woman, but trying to make his best move on young Hannah. This is the perfect combination for disaster, and someone’s getting hurt in the end. 

Just thinking about the storyline makes me smile, as the character dynamics were interesting and, honestly, truthful to how people really are. That’s where we shift to the topic of the day. After the book was written, I had my editors go through the manuscript and release the story. For some reason, most likely to get new readers, I posted the first chapter on a writing community website challenge.
​

What Writing Taught Me About Toxic People


Funny picture of three stuffed animals, a fox, a deer, and llama pretending to post hateful comments onlineEven animals get in on the online hate.
Let me tell you this: most of my fellow writers are a-holes. Sorry, it’s true. At the very least, many are difficult people. Seriously, you get people of all walks on these sites. Many have an axe to grind and are simply on it to ruin another person’s day. They also believe that public forums are fair game to share uncensored opinions, right or wrong. We have those across the spectrum, with some who look for the positive, some who post irrational responses, and others who just want attention. I imagine there are other categories I’m leaving out, but you get the idea. 

Anyway, on this community site, I had the book up for three days, maybe less, when the comments started coming in. One reader (writer in disguise) wanted me to know that my northern Virginia location wasn’t authentic to the area. Newsflash, the story takes place in Front Royal, where I worked for five years. I’m pretty sure it’s authentic unless you live in a hole. Another reader said the entire exchange between mother and daughter was unrealistic. No mother would call their child names, let alone the words I used. While I would love to share those words with you, they weren’t nice ones, but having been around teens, young adults, and parents for years, let alone going through the life cycle myself, I can assure you that some families swear at each other.

Then the real heavy hitters came in, those readers who wanted me to know that my story wasn’t politically correct. OMG, the horror of it all. What was I doing? There were other, more telling ways to create this tale of new adult woe, without using obscene vocabulary and having characters put down one another. Didn’t you know that no one ever puts anyone down? No one swears in this world? And a sixteen-year-old having a crush on the early twenties deputy, that would never happen. 

I took the posting down, annoyed with the feedback. There was no need to play the game, nor was I going to have a chance to win the contest that was being offered, simply because the comment police was out in force and had missed the fact that I’m a product of the 1980s and won’t cave to a climate where people in books are fake and not real to the reality we live in. The next time you see college students speaking Old English or with a Victorian vernacular, do let me know where the performance is being held.

That being said, I gave up on putting my books or samples on writing community sites. If you are only going to read the first page and miss the entire purpose of the story, it’s all good from my perspective, but I don’t want or need to hear your opinion on the matter. For me, this shifted the narratives for book reviews, period. Amazon, at the time, was notorious for letting anyone post a review even if they clearly didn’t read the book, let alone purchase the work. I had one person for Running With Vince, write something like, “No one cares about you and your twin brother. This book sucks.” 

Then again, I had readers who were simply stupid. Did you read the book summary before opening it? If you knew it was in the first person, why did you keep reading? Because I couldn’t resist, look at these two reviews for Our Place by the Sea from Amazon. “A very short story. I dislike storytelling in the first person. I felt sad after finishing the story. I was bored reading it.” Or “I did not enjoy reading this, very self-absorbed, so I stopped reading. It is not about nature, as I had hoped.”
​


Choosing Empathy in a World Full of Karens


A picture of Relax - Apple Juice from CzechiaPerfect advice for us all in this Internet-Social Media Era
I’m sharing this because everyone is honored for their opinion, simply by merit, but then again, it’s how we choose to respond to those opinions that matter. In writing, at this stage, ten plus years later, I don’t care either way. Whatever the story becomes is true to what I wanted readers to encounter. If you think it’s not realistic, fine, bless your heart. If you don’t like the story, for any reason, that’s fine too. I hear there are millions of other books, including AI ones, that will tickle your fancy. 

My issue continues to be with people who make comments not on my books, but just online, period, social media, YouTube, who I know are hiding behind their screens and wouldn’t do it in person. If they did it in person, we all know it would be a different encounter completely. That’s not intended to be a threat; I’m simply sharing that many people think the screen is a place for them to spew out whatever they want, regardless of the consequences. 

By spewing out hate, for many of them, it’s created such a toxic climate that many of us don’t want to doom scroll, check the news, or do anything online, because it carries over into the real world. I certainly don’t need to see or want in my feed political commentary that in my younger days was not posted for the entire community to see.

Words, at the end of the day, can be hurtful. It’s true, and we don’t know the reader’s perspective or their life story, so posting or commenting on something in a manner that creates divisiveness is irresponsible and creates a dark cloud over the entire matter. That’s the bottom line. 

At least with a book, if you don’t like it, you can put it down and read something that is more aligned with your values and thought patterns. We can’t necessarily do that when we are posting pictures or videos for friends and family, in an attempt to maintain connection (and sometimes for validation) only to get knocked down repeatedly by the trolls out there.

In school, I see this daily. Kids are simply trying to find their way in this world and discover who they are, but their community and their families impact how this path will go. You can’t model hateful, entitled things and not expect the next generation, the one you are raising, to do the same. 

Again, books are books. It’s a fictional release, just like a horror movie is going to create a thrill or a fright; it’s not reality, and can be swapped out. But when people belittle others in a public place, a restaurant, because their food was too cold or not enough salt was added, or the item they purchased was missing a bloody screw, it’s not the person’s fault who is dealing with the brunt of the attack. 

Even if it was their fault, what right do you have to take it out on them? Does it really matter in the scheme of your life whether a cup of coffee was hot enough? Are you so important that if someone who is consumed with their family struggle cuts you off on the highway, that it means you need to do the same? 

At the end of the day, on the web or in person, people are doing their best to manage. We can either make it easier on each other or be the reason another person’s day shifts to a more miserable one. As we shift to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, do you need to be part of the problem or part of the solution? That’s what you have to ask yourself. Is it really worth posting that comment or can you let it be? 

Just some food for thought, from somebody who cares. 
​

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Zalipie – Inside Poland’s Painted Village (Forever Poland Excerpt, Part II)

10/12/2025

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In the spirit of my Poland travels, I've been working on a memoir that encompasses all of my trips while living in Poland. The working title of the book is Forever Poland. Right now, I'm about 50,000 words in. With the follow-up to Rusty Star ongoing, the second part of Forever Poland has to wait til January for the proper time to revisit the book and finish the remaining chapters.
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I wanted to share more of the writing process, so here's part two of my trip to Zalipie, which I also documented in a YouTube video blog on Travel with Mr. Jon. I'll include that at the end for your viewing pleasure. In the meantime, grab some coffee or tea and indulge in this first draft of my road trip to Poland's happiest and prettiest Village.

The Final Drive to Poland's Happiest Village


Rain seemed to follow me everywhere in Poland, and I wasn’t shocked it was on the horizon, nor that it wanted to do so on my final day vlogging in the country. As we drove away and found ourselves on yet another side road, it truly felt like a one-way route; I couldn't help but consider the weather. The idea of a flooded path crossed my mind again, even though I didn’t think it would happen to us at that moment. 

No, it made far more sense as several cars raced by us, with our vehicle hugging the side of the road, doing its best not to drive off the nonexistent curb, to have the weather come on the return drive. Only then could we embrace this road to its full effect and correctly figure out all the low points and where we might be stranded and fodder for the dziki. 

I took a moment to glance out at the fields and the marsh we found ourselves driving across, wondering what village we would explore next. While I know I counted down till our next pull over, the clouds continued to darken. Even now, I have to think to myself what the worst weather day I dealt with was. There was torrential rain in Pzemsyl a few weeks earlier. That had to have been the worst, as I was thoroughly soaked and had only found refuge in the churches of all places. True story, I knew I couldn’t make it to the hotel fast enough, but this one church I had visited before and been locked out of was miraculously open on my return trip, eager for my eyes and for me to sit, to get a break from the nonstop rain. Come to think of it, every church in that area was unlocked. It was divine intervention when I grabbed my umbrella and spent the next hour going in and out of churches while Mother Nature did her best to ruin my filming experience.

We had no churches on this road to Zalipie, which was unpleasant to say the least. Thankfully, there were signs that we were close. Not even five minutes from the village, I spotted a shrine on the side of the road in front of a lovely modern family home. Dana pulled over to entertain my creative urge. I walked across the street and marveled at this dedication from 1903. I had no clue what the inscription said, and I should have asked for a proper translation, but what I did find that warmed my heart were the flowers on all four sides of the structure. 

Freshly painted, in the last year for sure, these were the Zalipie standard, at the very least inspired. Hand-painted with lots of color and designs, I knew we weren’t far from our final destination. These flowers were distinct in pattern and drawn the same way that had been passed down for generations, from the 19th century to the present. I loved the lupine and the roses. Honestly, each side felt like a touch of spring and summer. These were the wild flowers you would pick for your lover or your mother to smell and enjoy at home. 

Not far from this yard, we found ourselves at the wooden sign for Zalipie. If you weren’t looking for it, you would likely have driven right by on this busier main road, which made me think we took the scenic route. Had it not been for the metal fence barrier protecting the wooden structure from renegade bikes and perhaps an occasional car, we wouldn’t have spotted this side road entrance to the quiet village. 

The distinct folk art was out in the open with more flowers in what I would best describe as floral wallpaper for those who couldn’t afford any. Stenciling, gone mad, would be even more appropriate.

Let's Paint Everything


One more kilometer of driving and it was clear we had arrived at Poland’s happiest village or perhaps most gaudy. I kid a little, but when I spotted the fire department and saw the etched flower pattern underneath the windows and over the doors, it was a bit much for me. Granted, it could have been the contrast in colors, with the orange, yellow, blue, and red, but it seemed like they were forcing the tradition onto a building that didn’t need an arrangement. 

I’m sure Instagrammers would swoon over a fire department with hot red truck doors, a metal roof, and primarily a building in a greyish tone aside from the flowers and the red lining around the windows. I shrugged because I wanted to see the old village homes, one-room houses, or three-room dachas where you knew your grandparents were raised, and had to do everything without modern conveniences. That’s what I was looking for, not a bloody cement building that you tried to liven up with a stitch pattern.

Still, at the fire department, the flowers were everywhere. Who cares if I felt like I was in Kansas, among crops, fields, and only the occasional tree? Across the street, I saw what I believed was a church from the distinct wooden cross. The building itself was nothing to write home about, but all the windows had large bouquets, adorning the area, making you feel as though flowers were growing on the walls and through the cracks. I knew, though, from my limited research, the real show was the inside. 

I decided at this point to keep walking and spotted a brand new cement one-level house farther down the street that required my attention. The perfect cobblestone driveway gave away the newness of this house, and more importantly, a weird vibe. Although these same flower designs were prevalent, they felt forced. Did I say I was disappointed? I’m not trying to be negative, but I'm being honest about the fact that I just assumed the only houses with flowers were the old wooden ones. To me, it seemed like whoever built this structure was like, “Oh, we better put some flowers around the windows. And instead of painting the outside white, as they would have done in the past, we’ll have sections that are white with colorful flowers. Let’s make sure these overhead spaces can be removed if necessary.” 

Honestly, it felt weird. I was more excited to get away from this building and walk down the street to Dana and the car, wondering if she had spotted the traditional houses or if this was going to be some sham tour. As I was about to ask her if she had found out anything new or seen something better than what I had, the wheat crop became the real show. 

Let’s talk about something cool. I'm in my early forties, and I have never stepped foot in a field full of barley. This was amazing and beautiful. Had the rain not begun to fall, I likely would have considered taking a run or at least a walk through this illustrious area, to take on the role of Maximus in Gladiator when he did the same at the end of Gladiator. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t Pienza, Italy, but the energy felt similar to me. Sure, the barley or wheat wasn’t that high either, but it was still in the same spirit.
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A Real House Tour



My opinion of Zalipie began to shift at this moment. The modern build across the street, with its high-end metal gate and painted flower trim, did little to sway the fact that older homes on the horizon begged for attention. A house for sale on the right did nothing for me, but what appeared to be the original home in front made the folk art come alive. There was no denying the large dandelion bushes and the flower-filled bouquet on the backside of the building, with a complementary lower lining of brown daisies guarding the bottom. 
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I still wanted to see more, as we were on the upswing. This street appeared to have more potential. As the houses were farther apart, intermittently placed with fields in between them and the occasional grouping of trees, the jackpot was a short walk away. Dana was indispensable at this point. 

Part of me was ready to simply film the outside of the best house we had found, one that could have been the selling part for any Instagrammer, but she was adamant that we go in through the gate and see about touring the house itself. I’ll be the first to say, I wouldn’t have done this without her. Even though this little hamlet is known to get tourists, as a New Englander, we don’t just walk into someone’s house without permission, let alone onto their property. 

Dana was confident we could. As I stood across the street and waited for the sign, she went across the threshold and talked to the older woman, the caretaker of the house. Only after getting her blessing, did I resume filming and take in what was the pivotal moment of this village tour. To begin, this house from the outside was immaculate. This woman and her family, for the previous sixty years, had painstakingly cared for this home. 

The grass was trimmed, flowers aligned the property, especially the rose bushes, which were cut back enough to allow each stem and blossom to flourish. It was a property that my grandmother would have been proud to see, and it brought me back to her rose bushes in Tucson, Arizona. 

I tried to take it all in, even as I provided commentary on my camera. Even now, as I think back, I rewatch the clips and smile. The metal gate had sections painted with white flower designs, and the outside of the house was covered in bouquets perfectly hand-drawn in between freshly painted window frames. I preferred the colorful assortment of flowers serving as the trim between the outer wall and the foundation. 

The fruit trees added to the ambiance, along with the hand-painted well, benches, and barn. Nothing was left untouched, even the pail that was used for the well, the flower pots, or the dog house. With each step, you were taken back in time, and got a glimpse of what these women did to brighten up family homes that were covered in soot. 

Crossing the threshold into the house, this wasn’t some hoarder’s home, but a real place you would look forward to visiting and spending time in. More art filled the walls, with the familiar trim and etchings of free-hand sketched flowers. In the United States, we might use wallpaper or stenciling to get the perfect alignment and array of these floral designs; this was an art form in itself in Zalipie.

Our hostess explained how her great-grandmother had learned the craft and had passed it down through generations, with her now doing the same for her daughter. This wasn’t a gift for the men in the family to learn; they could only appreciate the tradition these women and others like them continued to share and imitate. 

What I loved the most from being inside, aside from our hostess’s hospitality, was the brightness of the white walls mixed in with all the flowers. Truly, there was such warmth in each room, especially where the food was prepared. The old wooden stove that I was more familiar with seeing in rural Ukraine was here as well. Just as with the walls, every surface was painted. Where the wood would be placed to keep the fire going, so one could boil their water or cook their afternoon meal, a myriad of bouquets and colors livened up the space. 

I wondered how long it took to paint these beauties and how often they would refresh. If these women were anything like my sister, who seems to repaint her walls on an annual basis, I would surmise that each season the walls were painted over in white, and then the flowers appeared shortly thereafter. They were too vibrant to have been there for a more extended period, but then again, I could be wrong. 

One Pretty House


Author Jonathan Kuiper in Zalipie, Poland, pointing to a traditional wooden cottage decorated with hand-painted floral folk art, part of his Forever Poland memoir travels.
When the house tour ended and we were back on the roadside, I was relieved to get a proper glimpse into this area’s past and the traditions that had begun a hundred and fifty years earlier. Not far from this masterpiece, across the street, I found an even more delightful home. Between the white picket fence with our favorite flowers aligning every few posts and a handful of trees guarding the entrance, this one-level home with a red wooden thatched roof and white painted boards was what I hoped to encounter. 
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Between the bright blue window trim and matching door, the flowers were simply the icing on the cake. Placed between each window frame, there was nothing left uncovered, and that was okay with me. This was just folk beauty at its finest. 

The best part was above the door frame. What I would label a little touch of heaven, placed over a simple red and purple design, was a horseshoe and dried up lavender, or perhaps mistletoe, mugwort, or some other bundle of dried herbs. I wasn’t sure as to the meaning of the placement, whether it was to ward off spirits or specific bugs, but I knew this was a proper folk tradition. 

Looking at the entire scene before me, with the fields and the storm passing overhead, I could imagine myself in 19th-century Polish countryside, and for that I was thankful. 

While my folk art palate was finally satisfied, I found myself crossing the street and down someone’s private road after I caught a glimpse of one of my favorite things to see in Poland. How I spotted this remains a mystery to me, especially as I walked for a couple of minutes past my new love, the wheat fields, and to the edge of someone’s house. There, on the edge, tucked behind the shrubs and a modern metal gate, stood a family shrine to Mary. 

I was tempted to open the gate and read the inscription, but it was enough to see the cross and Mary within the glass enclosure. First, Boratyn and then in places like Przemysl, Krosno, and Skawina, this was another fitting reminder of how things are done in rural Poland. Outside the big cities, these artifacts and relics show the Roman Catholic traditions of this country.

Our journey to Zalipie concluded a few minutes later, but only after we found ourselves at the village center and their meeting house. With multiple maps, any visitor could easily see that Dana and I had only started the exploration of Poland’s happiest village. I was taken aback by the number of homes listed, and for that matter, the distances it would take to walk and explore each one. No, they weren’t all next to each other, not in the least.

And yet, that was okay. We got a taste of the traditions that the women of the area had been passing down through generations to brighten their homes and so that other locals would know who the eligible brides to be were. As I did a final walk-through of the visitor center and explored the various hallways, adorned with the same vibrant flowers I had seen in my new favorite home, I heard and saw little girls running in the hallway. 

Laughter and giggles livened up the entire space, serving as a fitting tribute to their mothers, who met in the adjacent room, where they painted and stitched. While the wooden homes will eventually need to be replaced by more modern ones, it’s safe to say that the traditions will continue in this part of Poland, and for that, I’m grateful.

I, for one, took this last vlogging trip in stride. As with many of my adventures, I didn’t know what to expect, what was real, and what was going to be grossly exaggerated. What was nice to see was the lack of tourists gracing this area, and that it was more than just flowers that made the journey worthwhile. Truly, the high points for me, aside from the company, were the elephants and the cemetery. I enjoyed the flowers too, but come on, where else could I relieve Maximus’s final dream sequence? Yes, that, my friends, is what Poland is all about. 


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Zalipie – The Drive In (Forever Poland Excerpt)

10/5/2025

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In the spirit of my Poland travels, I've been working on a memoir that encompasses all of my trips while living in Poland. The working title of the book is Forever Poland. Right now, I'm about 50,000 words in. With the follow-up to Rusty Star ongoing the second part of Forever Poland has to wait til January for the proper time to revisit the book and finish the remaining chapters. 

I wanted to share more of the writing process, so here's part one of my trip to Zalipie, which I also documented in a YouTube video blog on Travel with Mr. Jon. I'll include that at the end for your viewing pleasure. In the meantime, grab some coffee or tea and indulge in this first draft of my road trip to Poland's happiest and prettiest Village.

Zalipie - The Drive In 


My time in Poland was coming to an abrupt end, faster than I wished, but it was necessary because family obligations back in the United States demanded my attention. Still, I wanted to get out and see more of the countryside in those final days. Two weeks earlier, I had my return trip to Przemysl, and in my final weekend, I jetted up to Warsaw to pay my respects. The question remained, where else could I go close enough to Kraków and a manageable day trip?
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Remembering the incessant Instagram posts on what to do in Poland and several travel blogs listing the top ten things to see or visit in southern Poland, the quintessential Polish village kept being pushed to the forefront. Whispers became downright shouting about Zalipie, the place behind the linden trees. My coworkers mentioned how it was a must, and all I can ask to this day is whether they went to the place. Truly, that’s what I took after this midday trip with a friend. More on that in a bit. Note to self that sometimes the journey is better than the destination, and this trip was that for me.

Before we try to put the horse back in the barn, let’s start from the beginning. When Dana asked if we could get together the day before I flew back to the United States, I half-mentioned that I had considered looking into one more travel vlog. Already, my travel partner for some other day trips from Nowa Huta, Poland’s Desert, and to a forest near Skawina, Dana was game for one more run. We likely could have found another spot in Kraków to take in, as there is so much to see and places many tourists overlook. And yet, I didn’t see the point in trying to top the Elvis Presley Monument, where I got to rub his head and wonder which superfan created this masterpiece. 

No, it was far easier to settle on Zalipie, the folk town where women painted flowers on all the homes and structures, passed down from generation to generation to beautify their gloomy, dark wooden homes, dealing with the grime of coal and other burning substances. Oh yeah, this seemed like a promising idea, especially since Dana’s kids weren't up for the trip, which made me wonder if it wasn’t as cool as social media had made it out to be. We had no idea what we were in for, except for what Google Maps showed by clicking on the occasional image. 

Having traveled many times this school year, I didn’t want to ruin the trip by seeing too much in advance. Why bother going if we can simply look at a photograph? There would be no further inquiries. I put further research aside. Dana input the village name into her GPS, and we set out mid-morning for a route none of us had previously experienced. 

Romanian by blood, Dana had done her fair share of exploring with her family. She had taken her kids to the desert, which prompted me to visit, although I questioned whether they enjoyed the location, especially since it was underwhelming to me. Maybe it’s because we are grown adults, and it just takes more to get one excited about different things. I hoped this would prove a better trip, one where both of us found the area intriguing and worth the gas mileage. 

We never took train trips together; it was always by car. I was already accustomed to Dana’s lead foot, which would make her a good fit with drivers in Maine or New Hampshire, especially on the highways. As we merged onto A4 and drove towards Tarnów, I found it fun to see the trains in the distance. On several trips, I had been on those trains, yet on this one, we were racing past the approaching trains as they made their final approach to the city.

Our route was going to be straightforward with the highway as our focal point until we got to the outskirts of Tarnów. We were either in the vicinity or passing several areas I had penciled in on potential trips, and they had all fallen through for a litany of reasons. 

Wieliczka was the first place I saw on Rick Steeves's guide to the area. Known for the 13th-century salt mine, it was part tourist trap and part amazing. To this day, I wish I had ventured over via the train, the same one that goes back and forth to the airport on the hour, to simply explore the chapel of St. Kinga, which is made entirely of salt. I know pictures don’t do it justice, and yet I never found the time to visit. 

I believe it was the number of tourists I feared would frequent the same spot, and I didn’t see the point in paying an entrance fee for Mass. I recall reading that attending Mass only was free of charge, but I could never confirm. To that end, as we drove past the signs for that area, I was remiss about a missed opportunity. I might have dwelt longer on this until I saw the sign for Bochnia. 

Ironic as it may be, this is home to another mine, just not as popular as the one in Kraków. When I looked for alternatives to Wieliczka, this small city came up in my search. Unlike the latter, there is a water crossing within the mine. Instead of walking everywhere, this mine had an actual boat ride, perhaps the only one in Poland or Europe. I didn’t care enough to dig too deep on this one, but it was an alternative that passed the preliminary travel options on a future trip to Tarnów. 

Here we were driving by, but Dana had no intention of stopping, nor was I inclined to ask her to do so. Our mission today was to find Poland’s happiest village and hopefully some content that made sense. 

I lost track of the time, so when we turned off to Wierzchosławice and away from Tarnów, we were at the mercy of the side roads and heading north. What I do remember were fields, lots of them, and the occasional town. Nothing stood out until we were on 975 and driving through Radlow. I remember as if it were yesterday, even though I failed to catch it on camera. 

This is the fun part of the story because this trip was one that remains on my channel, and so I had an opportunity to watch and remember what we found and what made the cut. Truth be told, the camera was put away the entire drive up until this juncture. Who wants to look at the highway, signs, and in this case, fields? 

I told Dana to slow down as I saw this beautiful brick church off in the distance. The bridge we were on was the high point for this valley, with you guessed it, more fields, but the church, which seemed interesting enough that I considered asking her to veer towards its direction, until I didn’t. I might have said something had the GPS taken us in that vicinity, but instead, it had us taking the right between two vast cornfields. Only in June, the corn was growing, but not yet the high stalks we come to appreciate in the late summer season, let alone before they are ready to be plucked and harvested.


The Cornfields - the Real Show


In our favour, I looked out and spotted a cemetery to our immediate left. A tractor-trailer sped by, and I had to call out for Dana to stop. She knows of my obsession with cemeteries and had to make a phone call, so the timing was ideal, as is often the case with many of my vlogging sessions. 

I will share that this wasn’t some quiet road either. We weren’t the only vehicle driving towards Zabno. There wasn’t even a proper pull-off. This was the countryside, and had it not been for the cemetery and the poorly maintained grass, Dana would have had to park off kilter on the edge of the road. I got out of the car and walked towards this beauty of a memorial. 

I had to laugh because, truly, corn was planted around every part of this thing. The fact that there was a path of sorts seemed weird, but then again, this cemetery in the middle of a cornfield and high-voltage power lines was equally amusing. 

The obelisk with the distinct cross towered over the crops, a full eleven meters high, and made this resting place for World War I soldiers even more fitting. A sign indicated that this was from late 1914 and early 1915, and soldiers from multiple sides were stationed in different sections of this relatively small outdoor shrine. A lone poppy grew proudly near the remains of some British soldiers. I spotted the German and Russian markers before climbing over the rock wall to take another look at the corn that enwrapped itself in this resting place for these soldiers. 

Unlike cemeteries I had traveled to and explored over the past year in Poland, this one was different. The energy alone was unique, and these graves made me reflect on war, and how these soldiers were put here out of convenience, much like many others in this part of the countryside. I wasn’t aware until after the fact, how many WWI graves are littered across these small towns, villages, and cities. I saw larger, more significant resting spots for these armies in places like Przemysl and Giżycko, but here was fitting for men at war who traveled to a foreign land, and this was what they had time for. 

It wasn’t glorious, nor did these men get much recognition for their efforts, and yet this proved they weren’t forgotten either. 

Truly, as I walked back to the road and spotted another plot across the street, nestled between a grove of trees with a cornfield as its perimeter, this felt fitting and peaceful. The grave marker told me everything I needed to know, with something like two hundred and ten Russian soldiers placed in a mass grave. This walk was a longer one, set farther back off the road, and yet more inviting. 

Four crosses took my breath away, and yet I focused on the fact that we had two small cemeteries with all this fertile land around them. I used the analogy on camera about how, even in death, there was a sense of renewal and rebirth that tied everything together. As I circled the wall, with only one entrance, I spotted more information about the five mass graves and three individual ones. 

Indeed, learning more about this place was informative, but the crosses over the mass grave were not what I expected. They spoke to me at some level. The trees surrounding the wall seemed like the rear guard, standing watch over these brave men who lost their lives. More than one hundred years after the fact, I could get a sense of the toil, the struggle, and perhaps even, as a veteran, I could relate to this loss of innocence and what these soldiers experienced, and those who served with them. 

The place was surreal and not an expected layover or wayward point. And yet, finding these cemeteries on the way to Poland’s happiest village seemed ironic and fitting at the same time. Dana missed all the fun, but then again, I don’t think she realized this might be the high point of our adventure. 

We might have been on the high ground, because for the next few minutes we continued to drive in this low-level area that I swore was more of a flood plain, or a potential one. I even imagined the river overflowing and then feeding and nourishing these fields to produce the corn that would make even Kansas proud. 
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My New Favorite Team 


Author Jonathan Kuiper posing with the elephant mascot of Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza football team in Poland.
Zalipie was still several minutes out, and I couldn’t tell either way what, if anything, we would find. Flashbacks to our trip to the desert continued to linger, not because the desert was underwhelming, but from the anticipation we had near the Eagle’s Nest and the many side roads we found ourselves swinging onto, looking for the remnants of Poland’s castles and keeps. We can leave out the variety of those ruins and being charged for a relic that was a waste of time for a series of stones that barely resembled any structure, and yet, if we hadn’t gone in that direction, we would have missed that town with the old manor that begged for more attention.

I was banking on the same win, if you will, as we drove along the outskirts of Zabno. The first thing of notice was the stadium adjacent to a few streets of homes. This mammoth structure looked out of place among the low-lying plains that we drove through to reach the parking lot. We didn’t even stop for the football component, because as I shared freely in my vlog, I’m not the biggest fan. Granted, this has changed slightly, in that now I can boast of going to a Premier League match in the UK, but I wouldn’t say I’m more than a cursory viewer who simply checks scores and now wants to see what Jamie Vardy is up to.  

​As for Polish football, I can tell you next to nothing save that many of the cities I explored have some decent-sized stadiums, especially Opole and Rybnik, which was a bit surprising considering they aren’t huge cities. Out here in the sticks, we found ourselves parked out front of the 4500+ seat Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza home field, which looked cool among the fields and the ominous storm clouds that decided to visit us. I got out of the car quicker than I should, considering the subject matter, but where else do you find giant elephants roaming? 
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That’s right, I was suckered in at the front gates by not one, but two elephants that demanded a photo op. I was surprised at my eagerness, but then again, these life-size cuties were worth the few-minute detour. The finishing on both of them was quite life-like between the soulful eyes and the tusks. I believed I took to them so much that I used it as my thumbnail for multiple media sites. People were expecting painted flowers, but I gave them elephants. (No wonder my channel has never taken off. I digress for a moment.)

I thought that would be the end of it and a quick return to the car, but no, I had to walk to the entrance to get a glimpse of the stadium. Part of me wanted to be able to go in and film these hallowed grounds, but alas, I kept walking the perimeter of the stadium only to walk away empty-handed. When I thought the exploring was over, in the back fields, the best part of this place came into full view. Don’t get me wrong, I spotted several homes with a gluttony of fresh flowers in full bloom, certainly a preview of what was about to come, but no a short walk from a portable toilet, I found more elephants. 

These elephants were glorious. In the center of the cul-de-sac, with a few homes in the background, a large field, a cemetery, and those storm clouds that I knew were going to wreak havoc shortly thereafter, the family of three was beyond adorable. I don’t know whether it was the green astroturf skin, although maybe it was real grass, but between the dad with his tusks, the mom, and the baby that I got to pet, these elephants were a sight to behold. 

Talk about a family to have in your front yard. If I’m being entirely honest, I was a bit jealous of the two kids on their bicycles circling these fine animals as they turned for some midday cemetery riding. After paying my respects to the trio that I wished were back at my school, guarding the entrance, as opposed to looking like they were getting ready to partake in a football game, I took one final look at the storm clouds. 

It wasn’t a matter of if the early summer thunderstorm would come, but more of a when. The darker the clouds became, the sooner it would be. The question remained as I got back in the car, as to whether we would skirt by the edge of the storm or get walloped. One would be preferred over the other as we hadn’t even gotten to the village yet, and filmed what was supposed to be the apex of this travel vlog. 

Still, it was beyond our control, and it’s not like I hadn’t trekked across this country in good and bad conditions. Heck, in Warsaw, I got stuck in a bloody hailstorm while finishing up a vlog en route to a date that I wish had never happened. I take that back; the Indian restaurant was worth trying, but the remaining hours of aimless walking and sitting in a café were not on my to-do list with a person I didn’t truly resonate with. 

Rain seemed to follow me everywhere in Poland, and I wasn’t shocked it was on the horizon, nor that it wanted to do so on my final day vlogging in the country. As we drove away and found ourselves on yet another side road, it truly felt like a one-way route; I couldn't help but consider the weather. The idea of a flooded path crossed my mind again, even though I didn’t think it would happen to us at that moment. 


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Never Quit Writing: The Dream That Sparked The Fox and the Girl

9/28/2025

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When Writing Almost Broke Me


Early drafting and writing process of From West Virginia with Love by Jonathan KuiperHard at working writing From West Virginia with Love while living in Florida
Writing is a fickle gig if you ask me. There was a time when I was in my early twenties and I thought for sure the publishing process would be a simple one to navigate and whatever I wrote would strike “box office gold,” for lack of better words. Well, let’s be downright honest and just say that’s not how things played out. Over the last twenty-five years of writing screenplays, novels, and blogs, I have thankfully never quit my day job. Truly, there was only that six-month period after my discharge from the Navy when I did it full-time, to no avail. Suppose you were keen enough to pick up one of my latest books, Emotional Spending: How I Broke Free from Debt and Found Financial Freedom. In that case, you’ll hear indirectly about what I did during those six months following the screenplay fairy thinking a potential Bruce Willis read was going to open up all these doors for me and the giant piggy bank in the sky. 
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We know that’s not how things played out, as I was teaching come August with a substantially smaller wallet, and have been in the classroom ever since. There have been times over the years when I have considered giving up writing. I imagine that other storytellers go through a similar process. Is this something I enjoy doing? Absolutely, but even when I craft a story, I want other people to read and enjoy what I have created. So when eyes don’t find those pages, the ego can be a bit bruised. That’s the truth, and anyone short of Emily Dickinson would agree with that sentiment. 

There was a point in 2016 when I was on the verge of walking away from writing. Having just moved to Florida, I didn’t know how many stories I had left in me. Honestly, I recall having finished My Shenandoah Love the previous summer and Going Home in a six-week process. That was a phenomenal writing period. We’re talking 110,000 words in less than four weeks and then an 80,000-word book in under two. I was feeling it and living that creative dream. 

After a horrendous school year in which my creative energy was zapped by too many bills, debt, and a lack of clarity, I couldn’t find a way forward. In the new apartment in Land O'Lakes, I spent my Saturdays at the library, taking out books and movies, and would check my email on my phone using the free Starbucks Wi-Fi in the mall parking lot. The only television I watched was what was on PBS ― specifically, Doc Martin, a phenomenal series if you have never seen the show before. 

I digress. 

Back to the story, school was about to start, and I mapped out a storyline for What Could’ve Been. This later became From West Virginia with Love. At the time, William Chase Prince was the lead character, and it would take a few years and some tweaking before he would become Chase Jones, a third or fourth cousin to Hannah from My Shenandoah Love. I don’t remember… The vital thing to note is that the first draft was completed in about three and a half weeks, primarily through evening writing sessions and intense weekends. I was pleased with myself, rightfully so, and well, a bit drained. There was more research than I expected, especially having part of the book take place in Crimea, where I was a foreign exchange student years earlier. Again, it’s essential to write about what you know, to make the process easier. That’s what I tell my students.


A Dream, a Brother, and a Promise


Several months passed during which I didn’t write anything because it felt more like I had downloaded From West Virginia with Love and needed to read, recharge, and, well, find a way to improve my financial situation. It’s hard to get a book editor if you don’t have any money. As the fall months shifted to winter, I found myself brooding even though I accepted my new teaching position in Italy. And yes, I know you've noticed that I have a memoir about my time living there. I know, fantastic stuff, a segue to everything… I’m playing with you a little bit. 

With the position acquired and knowing where I would be for the next two years, I was able to recenter myself and write A Second Chance. This was a prequel to My Shenandoah Love because Esper is Hannah’s cousin, and the book takes place in the 1990s on Manning Lake. Interestingly, for those who know about Running with Vince and my homage to my twin brother, Stephen, Esper lives on the same lake where the boys, my brother, and I spent our summers growing up. It’s all connected. 

While there is that familiar tie, Esper’s story was an emotional drain for me. I reflected on abusive relationships and what many people go through, especially women, and wanted to bring light to that part of life. I wanted to give hope to those who don’t have it, and use Esper as a vessel to say we all get second chances. I was relieved to finish the story, but God, was I exhausted from it all and ready to say that was the last novel. 

That had to have been February when that happened. A few weeks passed, and it was March when I had a vivid dream. I was in England, of all places, in one of those traditional taxis going through an old, narrow Georgian and Victorian-style street with a canal on our left. Inside the taxi, along for the ride, no less, was my twin brother Stephen. Some of you may be aware that he passed in 2005. Whenever he appears in a dream, I immediately have to hit pause and cherish the interaction, the dialogue, and whatever message he wants to convey. 

This dream was no different. He laughed at me and then poked me in the stomach like the joker he was and said, “Jonny boy, don’t you dare give up writing. Whatever you do. You can take a break from it, but never put it away. That’s not you.” 

I’m sure there were some choice words shared between the two of us on the remaining part of that dream, but what was clear was how his message struck then and resonates now, years later. Even though I was fried, I couldn’t give up storytelling.


How a Fox Saved My Storytelling


A framed cover of “The Fox and the Girl: Book 1 – Luza” hangs on the wall above a cozy setup with a plush toy llama using a laptop decorated with animal stickers.
As synchronistic events play out in my life, more often when I pay attention, yes, that’s a hint to all of you to be more aware of life’s winks coming your way, but it was not even a week after that dream, when an idea hit me about a talking fox and a teenage girl. An initial scene came to me while I was teaching a Geometry class, and instead of focusing entirely on the lesson, I stopped at a good point and asked my students what would have more impact on them: a dog, a bear, or a fox stuck in a hunter’s trap. Of course, I had to play up the different types of traps and what one would be more realistic and dramatic.

Then I added extra, would it make a difference if that dog, bear, or fox was in that trap because it was looking for you? With little effort, the first ideas for Luza, specifically The Fox and the Girl series, were born. 

This is where our story gets funny. I’ll be the first to tell you, I suck at marketing my books. I have been in my share of newspapers and online interviews, but after so many Running with Vince articles, the idea of being the grief-stricken twin who was sharing his brother’s message was exhausting. Compiling that with all these heavier, adult-oriented stories, where people face challenges in their lives and take constructive steps forward to live fuller ones, can be daunting. 

To that end, when I created The Fox and the Girl series, the idea was to target a young audience, specifically tweens, and tie in my love for The Chronicles of Narnia. Or better yet, this was going to be an homage, fan fiction, but my spin. With these different ideas in mind, after I wrote Luza and Riley, I immediately gravitated to a pen name ― Frankie Yandow. There wasn’t even a doubt. I just figured, let’s keep the adult material separate from the kid stuff. 
​

To this day, I kick myself for this strategic mistake. It was mind-boggling, and by the time Valo and Lane came out, the third and fourth books in the series, two years later, it was a bone-headed move, one that I didn’t know how to navigate. The books never took off the way I intended, but then that’s true for most independent authors. There were plenty of free downloads, but when your target reader group is dependent on their parents to buy the books, I found myself stuck in a meta hell, because you can’t easily classify your book as both juvenile and young adult. 

Fast forward a few years, around the time of COVID, I changed the series title to Luza after the first book, thinking that might gain traction, and removed Frankie Yandow, staking my name as the author, rightfully so. It was over the last year, not so much about being remiss, but rather the fact that I loved the initial series name, The Fox and the Girl. My series felt lost without its real identity. Come on, the name was catchy, and as for me, I loved the imagery of the little arctic fox and the young teen girl with the long curly black hair, meeting for the first time. With this in mind, and disregarding the algorithm that has shown no love to me, we return to the original series name, featuring new covers and a premise that will allow those who need to discover the series naturally to do so. More importantly, I’m keeping a promise to my twin to keep writing, no matter what happens. 


Book cover for “The Fox and the Girl: Books 1-3” by Jonathan Kuiper. A girl with curly dark hair, wearing a green skirt and boots, stands with her back to the viewer facing a snow-capped mountain. Beside her are a deer on the left and a white fox on the right, set in a dramatic mountain landscape.
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The Varissian Affair: When Brindisi Became Sci-Fi

9/14/2025

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I almost flew to Latvia for a writing retreat — until my book told me not to.

The Retreat That Never Happened


February in Brindisi Winter in Brindisi, popular walking route for Jonathan Kuiper who wrote Brindisi and Me
A funny thing happened to me in the last six months of my time living in Brindisi. There was some uncertainty in my job search as I looked to return to the States full-time, and for whatever reason, my mind and soul wanted to cocoon and write as much as possible. I still remember it well for that February vacation. I was all ready to head to Riga, Latvia, for a four-day writing retreat.

Even now, I can still see that bucolic, charming hotel with the brick recessed walls and kick myself for not hopping on the plane at that exact moment. Instead, I stayed home and wrote. Honestly, I started writing Valo, the follow-up to Riley, and the next thing I knew, I didn’t want to break the creative energy. Where I should have been leaving for the airport, I was lying on my chaise, stretched out, typing away on the computer with a notebook filled with notes and the outline for the rest of the series.

The entire week consisted of writing in the morning, followed by a short break, then writing in the afternoon, another break, and finally another session in the evening. I was doing eight to ten thousand words a day. No joke, it just spilled out of me, and in less than ten days, Valo was done, and I was onto Lane.

Sometimes the writing process just works this way, and for that I was grateful. Even after the vacation concluded, I maintained a solid writing schedule after work for the remainder of February to complete the drafts for the series, The Fox and the Girl.


The End of Brindisi and the Beginning of Varissi


I’m not sharing this to toot my own horn, but to point out when I get locked in, it’s hard to come up for air until the story is complete. As winter gave way to spring, the fact that I was leaving Brindisi became clearer. While I enjoyed some aspects of the area and loved the school, those idiosyncrasies of Italian living had shifted from charming to a giant pain in the backside.

With the rosy glow of watching Luza and Keira’s story come to an end, I needed to get something to balance me out in the closing months of the year. Many educators will share that the school year is a roller coaster and a cycle one gets used to, but it also brings different periods of high stress. The end of the year is a mad sprint with a gluttony of events mixed in with your classes, and so many changes between students leaving and, well, teachers.

Think about the range of emotions. In this case, in Brindisi, where a large expat community attended this close-knit school, the energy shifted between excitement and mourning. To that end, I needed a story to keep me sane. Sometime around this period, I wanted to move away from the tween and young adult audience and have some fun with a genre I love, or have fawned over because of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
​

Where The Fox and the Girl is glorified fan fiction of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Marcus Files screams Star Wars, Star Trek, and Babylon 5 in between. Being in a different world, in the future, having the same challenges we face daily but magnified thirtyfold, is a literary delight.

Brindisi Becomes Varissi


Even so, I find I always write about real locations I have lived in because it’s easier to use a known commodity and then adapt it to the characters and their lives. Not to dwell on Luza, but the entire book takes place on the same lake where I spent my summers as a child. Described to the t, the characters are fictional, but those mountains, the dirt roads, the water—everything save the whistleberry—was true.

I did the same thing with The Vincent Chronicles, especially Swimming With Angels, which is in the exact location. Oh, and A Second Chance, too. My Virginia and West Virginia-based books are from places I have taught or explored in detail. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that The Varissian Affair, the first book of my trilogy, took place on an alien planet called Varissi.

What do you think that rhymes with? Even the apartment I put Tahir in is a model of my own in southern Italy, just spiced up with future technology. And the streets he walks in and the tunnel he has to defend himself are based in Materdomini, where I roamed. In a way, it’s a bit humorous because that first chapter of the book was filled with frustration and angst, just the way I felt as I transitioned away from my super loud apartment and neighbors who didn’t give two hoots about me.
​

Every interaction Tahir has with the locals is madness, especially when he hears them just yelling, “Bada baba badba.” I wonder who went through that daily? I share this because, without having lived in Brindisi and experienced life there, I would not have been in a position to delve into Tahir’s living situation, his being stranded on an alien planet. Sure, I spiced things up and overplayed the locals, but in a book, a science fiction series no less, anything goes.

From Pandemic to Publication


Jonathan Kuiper writing area for The Fox and The Girl, The Marcus Files, and Rusty Star
Again, we write what we know. The cosmic humour in it, though, is that I only got through the first chapter before the closing events of the school year took over my inspiration and need to write. I had to put my focus on the annual cycle, goodbyes, and the transition home. There was no room for that headspace, the one I would need to continue Tahir’s life in Varissi, until I was settled again in my new home. Strangely enough, I wasn’t in the proper headspace for another two years, and that was only in the middle of the pandemic, where I had an adequate writing nook and the time to allow myself to reenter that world.

Here’s the funnier part of this story. When the pandemic was at its peak and the school year began with hybrid teaching, I was often home by 3:00 p.m. My head was clear, so I told myself I would participate in National Novel Writing Month, but I had to clear up some previous story ideas before taking on a science fiction series. Surprise, surprise, Brindisi and Me went first. I dictated that book with ease, even when the dictation software failed me, and the book itself languished in purgatory until this past year, when it was finally revised and published.
​

That was the beginning of October. By the third week of the month, I was on to Seli. That’s right, for whatever reason, I slid into the follow-up book on what happened with Keira and Luza years after the conclusion of Lane. That took me until the last week of November. Then, everything fell into place. Tahir and I were ready to take on the Varissians and dive into his internal and external struggle to get off that blasted planet, finally.


Fact Leads to Fiction


If you want to have some fun and love to read, reading Brindisi and Me, a non-fiction memoir of my life living in Brindisi for two school years, versus The Varissian Affair will make you smile. The range of emotions I experienced while living in Brindisi is evident, and likewise, how they would manifest in a science fiction novel would make perfect sense. You can love a place, but also hate it at the same time. Then again, Tahir never loved Varissi. It was a job he didn’t want or ask for, but he was true to his assignment and service. I think I know another guy who wasn’t too game at first on Italy. Go figure, there it is again, fact leads to fiction.

Brindisi and Me: What I Learned from Two Years Living in Southern Italy by Jonathan Kuiper -- book cover featuring Brindisi’s waterfront and a Polaroid-style photo of a historic cathedral.
Book cover of “The Varissian Affair” by Jonathan Kuiper. A stern, younger Tahir Marcus stands in the foreground while a starship streaks across a blue planet amid orange explosions. Metallic title at the top; a small eagle emblem and the line “THE MARCUS FILES – BOOK 1” appear above the author name. Military space opera vibe

Want to see Brindisi through both lenses? Pick up my memoir Brindisi and Me for the real-life version — and dive into The Varissian Affair for the sci-fi one.


Brindisi Book
Varissi Book - The Marcus Files
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Running With Vince: Coping With Loss, Healing, and the Bond Between Twins

8/27/2025

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Running With Vince book cover – A contemporary fiction novel by Jonathan Kuiper, inspired by true events, exploring grief, friendship, and healing after loss.

Some stories and books are worth revisiting. I know that for the last ten years, I have annually read an autobiography by a Polish doctor, Janusz Subczynski, who emigrated to the United States and wrote about his journey growing up in Poland under Nazi and Soviet Occupation, through the time he practiced medicine in Michigan. Whenever I need perspective on my life and where I am, I find his two-part autobiography, In the Shadow of Satan and The Colors of Life, to fill that void.

Revisiting the doctor’s travels and life experiences, and also considering how much he positively impacted others during his lifetime, I want to continue living similarly with that passion for service. To that end, during my stint teaching summer school this past July, I reflected on the books I have written and the readers’ comments I have received over the years. My focus point was on what books had a more meaningful message that helped others, and continued to meet people where they were during difficult periods in their lives? With these questions in mind, one story stood out above the rest, and it was woefully unappreciated by me.
​
The Power of Storytelling in Coping With Grief

Let’s be straight here and back up a few steps: I’m not writing this to toot my own horn; I am simply stating that I know Running With Vince, the story about twin brothers on a final road trip together, serves a purpose. Their relationship in life and death brings perspective on how we all face dramatic life events and how we can move forward, as well as cope with those changes.

More importantly, the book offers a different perspective, one that is reassuring, I believe, on what happens when we lose the ones we love and how that relationship remains present even after death.

Revisiting Memories as a Path to Healing

While many of us are familiar with Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and her groundbreaking works on death and dying, as well as the stages of grief that we experience, Running With Vince allows room for those stages, but also offers hope for the steps ahead. With Kubler-Ross in mind and Janusz, especially Janusz from our conversations when he was still among the living, I thought it was time to revisit my story dedicated to my twin brother.

Coping With the Loss of a Sibling or Twin

Admittedly so, this was a more challenging project to go back and read through. It had to have been at least eight years since I last picked up the book. Even then, whether I read cover to cover, I don’t know for sure. This wasn’t because I didn’t like the book or the story; part of it was pride.

The Unique Bond Between Twins

When I first wrote the book in 2011 and then had a family friend edit the story in 2013, I felt like my words, as well as my twin brother’s words, were being altered, and it was no longer the story we had co-created. Yes, the premise was unchanged during the editing process, and the major scenes, but certain words and the perspective shared at points didn’t sound like me.

Whether it’s fitting or not, I deleted several versions of Running With Vince during a computer change and file purge in 2022 and lost the final edited copy. I know this because the copies I pulled up on my Amazon account had different file names and year numbers. That made this revision all the more special because it felt like I was back at the beginning.

Lessons From Running With Vince on Hope and Healing

For the last two weeks, specifically, I had the privilege of reading about Christian and Vincent and their unique bond. I got to see into that world again, this twin dynamic they shared, and, of course, relive several moments from my life twenty-plus years ago. The emotions and overall message are still intact, as I intended, which is why I wanted to revise and release a new edition.
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What the Journey of Christian and Vincent Teaches Us

For those who haven’t read the book and are dealing with loss in their lives, especially the loss of a sibling, child, or twin, I believe you will find it helpful in navigating the next steps, the healing process, and the days ahead.

Finding Comfort in Shared Stories of Grief

As for this writer, it was simply lovely to revisit old friends and remember that not every story needs to be War and Peace, but one that embodies a message we can all embrace and understand. If you are looking for something new to read or to revisit, please do.


Tags: #GriefHealing #SiblingLoss #TwinBond #LifeAfterLoss #HealingJourney #CopingWithGrief #StorytellingHeals #RunningWithVince #HopeAfterLoss

Vincent Chronicles
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    Meet Mr. Jon​

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    Rusty Star book cover – gritty private investigator mystery, Stokes Case Book 1 by Jonathan Kuiper

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